Growing Up Sucks
by Konaxookami
Summary: "The big one-eight. Have you got any idea what you want?" "To not turn into my jack ass father."


Runaways is a great series that everyone should read if they haven't already. Chase and Gert are great. They also hurt my soul. Takes place between issues 13 and 13 of volume two.

* * *

It's two weeks before Chase's birthday. He hadn't been keeping track of time but when it was his and Gert's turn to go out and buy groceries he catches the date on a TV display. He stops short and stares.

Had it really been so long since they ran away?

Damn.

Gert makes a noise that Chase knows is reserved for time wasters and tugs him along to the grocery store. His mind is miles away-and it isn't until much later as they lay in bed that Chase brings it up to her.

"Hey, babe."

"Yeah?"

"It's my birthday in two weeks, is that crazy or what?"

Gert turns around in Chase's arms and squints at him. With her glasses off Chase thinks she looks even more beautiful that usual but the way she's pouting and squinting at him is hilarious. Her cheeks are doing the puffing thing that they do when she's grouchy and he can't help but snicker a little.

"Not as crazy as me punching you in the face for waking me up."

"Oh come on-you totally weren't actually sleeping. You were doing that fake sleep thing you do when I talk too much at night."

Gert rolls her eyes and drops her head into the crook of Chase's shoulder. She lets out a slow breath, and her arm wraps around Chase's hip, "You got me, I was faking it. Your birthday's coming up, huh?"

Chase shifts, bringing one of his hands to run through Gert's hair, which still smells like the dye she uses. "Yeah, two weeks. I'm like-that's bizarre."

"The big one-eight. Have you got any idea what you want?"

"To not turn into my jack ass father."

The words tumble out before Chase can even stop them and he can feel Gert's lips purse against his neck. Chase feels a knot squeeze in his chest. He's suddenly so pissed that he saw that TV because _fuck _growing up. He sucks in a deep breath and squeezes his eyes shut, hoping that he hasn't actually said that out loud.

"Well, that goes without saying, doesn't it?"

Crap, he _had_ said it out loud.

Gert lifts her head from its hiding place and frowns at Chase, "Are you that worried that when you turn 18 you're suddenly going to go crazy and start building weapons of mass destruction?"

"No-It's not like I've got the smarts to do shit like that, you kn-"

"Then you're fine, Chase. Trust me, just because you're turning 18 doesn't mean you're suddenly going to have the all the answers," she pauses, running a hand through Chase's hair, "It doesn't make you an adult."

The knot loosens a smidge, but Chase still scowls, "How do you know that? For all you know I could totally like-Hulk out and destroy all of you guys and restart the Pride and all that shit."

Gert smiles-this small, wry thing that cuts the knot in half so suddenly Chase feels his breath leave his lungs. She leans forward and presses a soft kiss to his lips. When she pulls back, she's smirking and Chase is still gaping at her because how the hell did he get so lucky cause she's so beautiful and so wonderful and-

"You really think I'd have stuck with you if you were that kind of guy? Stein, I would have dropped your ass ages ago. You're a good person, Chase. Turning 18 just means you can go out and waste your nonexistent money on cigarettes and lotto tickets."

"I love you," the words slip out in a whisper and Chase is grinning and grinning as he pulls Gert in tightly and begins to laugh-laugh like they didn't live under tar pits, like they hadn't watched their parents burn, like they were just a normal couple of kids in love and laying in bed laughing.

The laughter quiets down and Gert wiggles in Chase's arms, her smile brilliant, "So, let me ask again, what do you want for your birthday?"

Chase surges forward to steal a kiss because all he really wants is for this feeling-this giddy, happy, euphoric feeling to last forever. Their lips part with a soft smack and Gert pulls the covers back over them. Suddenly Chase remembers back a year ago after his 17th birthday how he'd started a list of all the things he wanted when he was legal. It all surges forward in his head and as he presses his nose into Gert's hair.

"Well…now that you mention it-I've always wanted to rent a tractor…"


End file.
